BOTTOM: The Monument Valley Cougars football team poses with former Washington Redskins football players on Friday night.

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The Monument Valley, Utah, football team will receive more than $30,000 from the “Original Americans Foundation” for the upcoming 2014 season.

The National Football League franchise owner, Dan Snyder, established the foundation earlier this year as a way to address the needs of Native Americans.

Snyder, who owns the Washington Redskins, is being pressured to change the team’s mascot by many who think the nickname is derogatory to Native Americans.

Despite the controversy, Monument Valley Principal Spencer Singer said the support is much needed for a school of his size.

“Football is the most expensive sport as far as insurance and equipment goes,” he said. “The challenges of funding are always there for any school, especially for tiny schools like us.

“The support means a lot for us,” he added. “It’s hard to fundraise on the reservation. We don’t have a lot of businesses to ask for donation type things so to have that help for funding the program is a good thing."

Spencer said the Redskins organization has been working with other Native American communities around the nation and it goes far beyond football.

“They are helping kids academically,” he said. “And for us it’s huge and we really appreciate what they are doing."

With the donations the football program upgraded some of its equipment, which includes the purchase of new jerseys, football helmets and pads.

Spencer said there is talk of funding other programs at the school such as the volleyball and basketball programs.

Some of that grant money, however, will be used to build a new set of bleachers at the school’s football stadium.